Coed Murder Suspect's Mother Apologises

COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP) - The mother of the Russell County man
charged in the slaying of Auburn University student Lauren Burk has
offered an apology to Burk's family for the freshman's death.
Catherine Williams, the mother of suspect Courtney Lockhart,
made the apology in a tearful interview with Columbus television
station WTVM.
She says, "I am sorry that Courtney did that ... First let me
say I'm sorry to the Burk family for Courtney taking, taking their
child. ... My heart goes out to her family."
But she said her son did not confess anything to her.
Lockhart was arrested Friday in Phenix City, Alabama and was
charged with capital murder in Burk's abduction and shooting death.
Police would not say what led them to charge the 23-year-old man
with her death, or divulge evidence linking him.
The 18-year-old Marietta woman was found shot on the side of an
off-campus road Tuesday night and her car was found burning in a
campus parking lot.
Wiliams told the television station that her son hasn't been the
same after serving 16 months in Iraq. She says her son had been
living with her in Smiths Station, Alabama, since returning from
the war.
A phone directory search revealed an unlisted number for
Catherine Williams in Smiths Station.
No one immediately returned today a message for comment made to
another listing for Cathy Williams in the same town.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)